Orthodontic treatments involve repositioning misaligned teeth and improving bite configurations for improved cosmetic appearance and dental function. Repositioning teeth is accomplished by applying controlled forces to the teeth over an extended period of time. This is conventionally accomplished by wearing “braces” as commonly referred to. Typical braces include a variety of appliances such as brackets, bands, archwires, ligatures, and O-rings. After braces are bonded to the teeth, periodic meetings with an orthodontist are typically required to reactively adjust the braces. This may involve installing and/or adjusting different archwires with different force-inducing properties and/or may include replacing or tightening wire-to-bracket ligatures. Between visits with the orthodontist, the patient may be required to wear supplementary appliances, such as elastic bands or headgear, to supply additional or supplemental extraoral forces.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to have methods for providing orthodontic aligners that may be customized for use during different time periods for example, within each treatment stage by providing additional choice to the patient to customize the orthodontic treatment plan and progress.